Walallawita Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Udeni Atukorala was arrested by Bribery Commission officials for allegedly soliciting a Rs 1.5 million bribe from the Bentara Paradeshiya Sabha chairman. It is reported that he had accepted the bribe to provide a permit to transport soil.

Public Health Inspectors attached to the Kelaniya MOH Office have taken steps to launch anti-Dengue programmes in 20 schools under the purview of the Kelaniya MOH Office. The programme will be conducted on the instructions of Kelaniya MOH Dr Wasantha Rajapaksa.

Raddolugama Pagnananda Madya Maha Vidyalaya Principal W.A.S. Wickramasinghe died following a stroke while exercising in the morning at the Rantambe Cadet Camp. Wickremesinghe, 52, was among the 97 participants in the month long military leadership training programme for school Principals.

Senior Minister for International Monetary Co-operation and Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning Dr. Sarath Amunugama will leave for Geneva tomorrow to represent the Sri Lankan Government at the Annual Ministerial Review of the Economic & Social Council of the United Nations

President Mahinda Rajapaksa unveiled a six feet Samadhi Buddha statue erected at the entrance to the Mihintale sacred area concurrent to the 2320 Mihindu Jayanthi commemoration. The President performed the first flower and oil lamp offering to the statue constructed by the Civil Defence Force (CSD).

One died and four passengers were seriously injured when a train bound for Galle crashed into a lorry at Angulana . According to Police sources, the train was packed with rush hour passengers knocked the train when it was parked close to the railway track.

A 31-year-old male, resident in Paththinigama, Galnewa was arrested by Galnewa Police on afternoon while carrying 1.508 kgs of ganja hidden in a travelling bag after alighting from a Colombo-Anuradhapura bus at Paththinigama junction.

A group of Sri Lankans visiting the
Todaiji temple in Nara, Japan led by
Deputy Minister Wijaya Dahanayake
and Sri Lanka Agonsu Friendship
Association Director General
Somasiri Addarage Pathirana feed a
herd of deer which flocked to the
temple premises in search of food.
Animals in and around the temple
visit the temple as feeding them has
almost become a tradition among
pilgrims with traders in the
vicinity providing a specially made
biscuit to facilitate it. Picture by
Saman Sri Wedage

Asia group of NAM backing SL

Commission
appointed to create closer amity
between the communities:

Despite lobbying
by the US and several Western states
against Sri Lanka, the Asian group
of the Non Aligned Movement
yesterday expressed unreserved
support for Sri Lanka at the United
Nations Human Rights Council session
in Geneva. The members of the Sri
Lankan delegation to the UNHRC
session in Geneva yesterday,

Politicization of UNHRC harmful
to developing world

“Countries
emerging from painful conflicts and
renewing their commitment to
economic and social development
after the eradication of terrorism,
deserve understanding and
sympathetic support from the
international community, not
judgmental attitudes buttressed by
pressure which erodes the dignity
and self-respect of developing
nations, External Affairs Minister
Prof G L Peiris said in the Nigerian
capital, Abuja on Wednesday.

Case against President dismissed
by US Court

A US federal
judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed
against Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapaksa noting that President
Rajapaksa is immune from lawsuits as
a sitting Head of State, states Sri
Lanka Embassy in Washington in a
press release. The court noted that
Head of State immunity is a
well-established legal principle in
the United States.